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Pro-Populus: Give the People a Chance!

Proudhon's Ghost | 18.08.2011 21:35 | August Riots | Analysis | Public sector cuts | Social Struggles

The recent cacophony of events have explicitly revealed the shortcomings in the multi-faceted beast that is our 'United' Kingdom. Let us use this opportunity to change it for the better.

Contrary to what you may have heard recently, people are not the enemy. It may seem that way if you listen to the rhetoric that spurts out in all directions from that gaping black-hole of ignorance and intolerance that is David Cameron.

To my mind, in the current World people are given one option to exert their individuality...... consume! The only way out of depravation and mental corrosion is to try to amass a never-ending quantity of objects to fulfill an ever-expanding, but cavernous ego, perpetuated by societal norms themselves driven by the few in control of huge amounts of capital and influence. In the process what you are really doing is selling yourself short (quite literally from a purely economic perspective).

In fact for the economy to grow (measured using extremely limited parameters, such as GDP) and to maintain these intentionally overblown lifestyles, there needs to be an even greater throughput of needless goods and services, often that are only given a ‘function’ post-hoc.

The recent riots have given the greed-driven ‘elite’ of this country the perfect justification for perpetuating fervent nationalism and defence of the damaging status-quo, driving down those that their system and society has failed and will continue to fail in a perpetual manner; that has been the characteristic of centuries of the archaic pseudo-feudalistic world we live in.

Don’t even mention the traders, is there any need?? Speculation is exactly that, purely speculative. It is no exact science and is not a force for good (I suppose it is for the limited ignorant few) insomuch as it does not even drive the efficient allocation of goods and services that neo-liberal economic model is supposed to deliver and can be responsible for economic downturns (like the current one) which patently affect the most susceptible members of society to the greatest degree.

Whatever happened to society and societal action? (If there ever was such a thing) Whatever happened to contentment in the simple things in life and the promise of a sustainable life for all (not just in the UK). If I was to start talking from an international perspective this could run into a whole library, so I shall refrain. Whatever happened to prioritizing social needs over corporate needs?

Overtly excessive consumption fuels rapid ‘resource’ depletion, habitat destruction, poverty in the poorest states and inequality in the richest. Such characteristics of capitalism have been deemed inter-generational terrorism, I can see why.

And what do ‘our’ political leeches extort? Instead of reform of the financial sector their solution is to add more layers of complexity. Instead of truly prioritizing mixed renewable energy solutions, their solution is to ignore evidence from both an environmental and economic perspective and to continue playing to short term vested-interests in the oil industry and associated industries. Instead of recognizing the folly of maintaining an overly-large military, their solution is to invest billions in the renewal of a nuclear ‘deterrent’. Instead of placing value on social benefits in society, their solution is to cut public sector jobs and lay blame on public servants.

We must find ways to organise outside of the current corporative system. To build strong, diverse, self-sufficient communities that can deliver the necessities and certain community services and that foster cooperation, being integrated outside of the current system.

There may not be another opportunity to save this world; the time to act is NOW!

Proudhon's Ghost
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